Hong Kong has officially registered strong disapproval regarding recent remarks made by a Japanese political figure concerning Taiwan, citing a corrosive effect on the atmosphere for bilateral exchanges between China and Japan. Chief Executive John Lee voiced the condemnation on Sunday, November 24, underscoring Hong Kong’s alignment with the nation’s diplomatic stance and affirming that the local government’s response prioritizes both national dignity and the interests of Hong Kong residents. Amid heightened tensions, the Security Bureau has simultaneously upgraded its outbound travel advisory for Japan, urging citizens residing in or traveling to the country to exercise maximum personal safety precautions.
Speaking to reporters following a high-level briefing on the spirit of the Communist Party of China’s Fourth Plenary Session of its 20th Central Committee, Mr. Lee specifically criticized comments attributed to Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, calling them “erroneous” and deeply hurtful to Chinese sentiment. He noted that the overall tone of cross-border engagement has noticeably soured, potentially diminishing the effectiveness of collaboration in numerous sectors.
Acknowledging potential disruptions for travelers, the administration confirmed that Hong Kong International Airport would offer flexibility for individuals needing to adjust Japan-bound itineraries. Officials reiterated that they would continue to closely track the rapidly developing situation, remaining attuned to China’s national security positions and policies to safeguard the well-being of local residents in Japan.
Translating National Strategy into Local Action
The government conducted the internal seminar on Sunday to disseminate the key messages of the recent Communist Party plenum. The session featured expert delivery from Hou Jianguo, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Zhu Weidong, a high-ranking official from the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission Office.
Mr. Lee shared three primary takeaways for the city’s leadership: First, officials must fully internalize the spirit of the plenum to capitalize on national direction and opportunities; second, they must strategically pursue innovation while safeguarding core strengths, tailoring policies to local conditions to ensure deeper integration into the country’s development plan; and finally, these principles must be systematically ingrained into day-to-day governance. A follow-up public session is scheduled for Monday and will be broadcast live via RTHK, encouraging broad public viewing.
Reasserting Hong Kong’s Global Economic Mandate
Outlining future policy priorities, Mr. Lee reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reinforcing Hong Kong’s established roles as an international financial centre, an innovation and technology hub, an international shipping centre, and a global trading centre.
In finance, specific emphasis was placed on broadening cross-boundary market connectivity with the Mainland and enriching the city’s offshore renminbi businesses, alongside augmenting its powerful international asset and private wealth management capabilities.
For the I&T sector, the focus remains on executing the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint, leveraging the city’s robust research strengths, and building an effective ecosystem that swiftly translates research and development into marketable products, utilizing Greater Bay Area manufacturing opportunities. Furthermore, the administration will promote a “headquarters economy” to incentivize more international companies to anchor their operations in the city, utilizing Hong Kong’s competitive edge in supply chain management and logistical expertise.